A new rumored leak suggests Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could add the most amount of new Pokémon since Generation five. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first releases in the ninth generation of Pokémon. Moreover, these two games are being released hot on the heels of the recently acclaimed Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Not much is currently known about how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will shake up the core formula, but the games were described as having a seamless open world. The specifics of how this open world will work are kept a mystery aside from the few shots in the reveal trailer of big, sprawling areas akin to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. A seamless open world would be a massive step up from previous Pokémon installments and would continue what Pokémon Legends: Arceus started in its open world. But while leaks about the world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are still few and far between, a new leak may reveal how many new Pokémon may be on the way.
A video from the YouTube channel SwitchForce (via Dexerto) discusses potential leaks of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. SwitchForce doesn't mention a specific source for these leaks, only mentioning that these rumors originated from the "Asian Pokémon community" and are making their way to the west. SwitchForce reported that the leak claims the Pokémon roster in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be around the size of generations one, three, and five, which would mean at least 130 new Pokémon. The shaky validity of this leak does mean, though, that it should be taken with a grain of salt.
Despite the roster now having over 900 Pokémon, the Pokémon franchise hasn't had this big of a roster increase since Pokémon Black and White. After generation five's roster added 156 new Pokémon, it was then followed up by only 72 new Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y. Generation seven then added 88 new Pokémon, followed by 96 in generation eight across Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. While these numbers haven't reached the same peak as generation five, there has been a steady increase in the number of Pokémon across each generation following gen six.
If this leak was true, it would be a massive difference in the number of Pokémon from previous recent generations. A jump from 96 to 130 new Pokémon would likely make a noticeable difference in how the games are received. More Pokémon means more creatures for players to befriend, and it would also help immerse players even more in Pokémon's open world with lots of new places and creatures to discover. While this rumor has shaky foundations and is perhaps too good to be true, the promise of having at least 130 new Pokémon to discover is still an exciting thought regardless.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet release for the Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Source: SwitchForce/YouTube, Dexerto